Folkoord dam
Folkoord
Folkoord, located in Richland County, Montana, is a private earth dam constructed in 1959 by the USDA NRCS for multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, and small fish pond. With a height of 30 feet and a length of 435 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 228 acre-feet and serves the O'Brien Creek drainage area of 7.69 square miles. The dam is regulated by the DNRC and undergoes regular inspections, with a significant hazard potential.
The dam, situated in the city of Sidney, Montana, is owned and operated by private entities and falls under state jurisdiction for permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The primary designer of Folkoord is the Natural Resources Conservation Service, with no federal agency involvement in ownership, funding, or construction. The dam is equipped with a spillway width of 150 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 856 cubic feet per second, ensuring efficient water management and flood control for the area.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Folkoord offers a fascinating case study of a privately owned earth dam in Montana, showcasing the collaborative efforts between state agencies and private owners to manage water resources effectively. With its intricate design, multiple purposes, and significant hazard potential, Folkoord stands as a vital piece of infrastructure providing essential services to the local community while also contributing to the conservation and management of water resources in the region.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Folkoord -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt | 13,400 cfs | → |
| Charbonneau Creek Nr Charbonneau | 0 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Nr Trotters | 2 cfs | → |
| Little Missouri River Nr Watford City | 23 cfs | → |
| Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt | 16,800 cfs | → |
| Missouri River Near Culbertson Mt | 5,080 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Folkoord.
Campgrounds
- Seven Sisters Fas
- Sather Lake
- Sather Lake Recreation Area
- Sharbano City Park
- Sundheim Park
- Intake Dam Fas
Paddle runs
- Southern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Southern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
More reservoirs
Track Folkoord in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Folkoord
Where does the data for Folkoord come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Folkoord.